Tag Archives: Taste of Kentwood

Taste of Kentwood — a community celebration — returns to Activities Center on March 12

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The crowd at the 2019 Taste of Kentwood. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood invites residents and all West Michiganders of all ages to a celebration of food, fun and local business at a community-celebration event, Taste of Kentwood, on Thursday, March 12.

Now in its 19th year, Taste of Kentwood will be held at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. The event will feature a variety of local restaurants offering samples of appetizers, entrées, sides and desserts during two sessions: 4:30-6 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m.

One of the eateries at the 2019 Taste of Kentwood. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)

“Kentwood is known for its incredible diversity which is demonstrated in our ranging dining options,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “From ethnic to American, high-end to casual, Taste of Kentwood is the ideal opportunity to try new foods, meet neighbors and make the most of what the city has to offer, all in one spot.”

In addition to tasting the local cuisine, there will be live music from the band Just Cuz, an acoustic duo that performs an eclectic mix of cover tunes from an array of genres.

The restaurants and food venders elected to be present include old favorites as well as eateries new to the city, including: Broad Leaf Beer, Café Boba, City Barbeque, Dave & Buster’s, Jet’s Pizza, Peppino’s Sports Grille & Pizzeria, PJ’s Pizza, Coffee & Ice Cream, Red Robin, Tim Hortons, Uccello’s Ristorante, Underground Cookie Club, YoChef’s Catering Company and Zason Latino.

For more information and for tickets for either session, visit here. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 on the day of the event. Children, 5 and younger, are free.

Dishing It: Annual Taste of Kentwood serves up special sampling of food delights within the city

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Staff from The Candied Yam serve up some of the restaurant’s specialties.

By Lindsay Papciak

Community Writer

 

The 17th Annual Taste of Kentwood took place this past Thursday, March 15, at the newly-renovated Kentwood Activities Center. The event featured 15 local favorites and each provided tastes of popular items on their menu. Guests had the chance to experience the diversity of Kentwood by attending one of two sessions during the evening.

 

Guests were welcomed into the Kentwood Activities Center with the smells of American and international cuisines. “[The Taste of Kentwood is] where neighbors and friends comes together and get to taste what’s great about Kentwood,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said.

 

Residents enjoying the Taste of Kentwood at the newly renovated Kentwood Activities Center.

“This event provides opportunity for local businesses to showcase their cuisine and advertise to new customers,” Kentwood Parks and Recreation Marketing and Events Coordinator Laura Barbrick said. “It’s a great way to sample restaurants that you’ve wanted to try or may not normally get to.”

 

Local favorite The Candied Yam featured the restaurant’s fried chicken and sweet potato muffins.  Co-Owner Jessica Ann Tyson loved being able to share her heritage and favorite recipes with old and new faces. “This is where the community thrives,” Tyson said. “People are working and living and playing and this is the other side of it. We are working and they are playing. So taking the opportunity to mix us all together is really nice.”

 

Tallarico’s Boardwalk Subs featured its Italian sub as well as its ham and turkey with original ‘herb de provance’ which is an herb mayo on their house-made white or wheat bread. Owner Chris Tallarico now runs five locations, so the Taste of Kentwood is a place for him to reconnect with Boardwalk Subs regulars as well as share why they were voted “#1 Best Subs in Grand Rapids” in 2017. “The food part is easy,” Tallarico said. “One thing that sets us apart is the experience we give. We treat people at Boardwalk the way you would be treated at a full service restaurant.”

 

One local resident enjoys his food at this year’s Taste of Kentwood event.

Tallarico has held down a booth at this event since he opened his first Boardwalk Subs in Kentwood in 2003. “We keep doing Taste of Kentwood because of the people,” Tallarico said. “Everyone is smiling and having a good time.”

 

“This event continues to grow in popularity every year,” Barbrick said. “We estimate that over 500 people came through our doors throughout the evening. Eventually, we may need to relocate to a larger space, but it’s a good problem to have.”

 

For upcoming Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department events, visit www.kentwood.us/recreation/.

Taste of Kentwood returns with more food and fun

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The Candied Yam is just one of the restaurants attending the Taste of Kentwood.

The 17th annual Taste of Kentwood will celebrate a smorgasbord of local cuisine on Thursday, March 15, at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 38th St. SE.

 

The event will feature food and deserts from many local restaurants and businesses. It will be the first event to take place in Kentwood’s newly renovated Activities Center, which will feature an updated interior and newly renovated teaching kitchen.

 

“Taste of Kentwood showcases American and international cuisine that we enjoy in our community,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “It’s a delicious way to experience the diversity of Kentwood while connecting with neighbors and supporting local businesses.”

 

Taste of Kentwood will feature local favorites such as The Candied Yam and Curry Leaf Indian Cuisine, along with new-to-market Nothing Bundt Cakes. Everyone can find something to enjoy from the variety of food, including sweets, BBQ, Mexican and soups and sandwiches.

 

Nothing Bundt Cakes will be tempting participants with its sweet treats.

Participating restaurants include:

  • Bloop Frozen Yogurt
  • Boardwalk Subs
  • The Candied Yam
  • Curry Leaf Indian Cuisine
  • Daddy’s Dough
  • Daddy Pete’s BBQ
  • Irie Kitchen
  • Jet’s Pizza
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes
  • On the Border
  • Peppino’s Sports Grille
  • PJ’s Pizza Coffee & Ice Cream
  • Red Robin
  • Taco Bob’s
  • Thai Express
  • Zoup!

 

The event is open to everyone. Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.kentwood.us/Parks. Two time slots are available, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Kentwood 50: 16th Annual ‘Taste of Kentwood’ — Bigger, tastier than ever

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By WKTV Staff

What tickles your tastebuds — Thai? Mexican? Barbecue?

This year, Taste of Kentwood will host more than 15 local restaurants on March 2 at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.

There will be a variety of food including the above-mentioned perennial favorites, Thai, Mexican and barbecue — plus soups, sandwiches and other gastronomical delights. Sample delicious creations from Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Pepping’s South Kentwood, The Candied Yam, Celebration! Cinema South, Daddy Pete’s BBQ, Jet’s Pizza, On the Border, Beta Bars, Bloop Frozen Yogurt, Larues Kitchen & Catering, Taco Bob’s, Zoup! and Mosbyspopcorn.

“Taste of Kentwood is a great way to showcase the variety of restaurants we have in the community and a delicious and wonderful way to bring together our local community with our businesses,” said Mayor Stephen Kepley.

The event is open to the community. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.yourkprd.com. Two time slots are available, from 4:30-6 pm. and from 6:30-8 pm.

For questions, please contact City of Kentwood’s Park and Recreation Event Coordinator Laura Barbrick at barbrickl@ci.kentwood.mi.us or 616.656.5272.

Discover some of Kentwood’s restaurants in this year’s Taste of Kentwood

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Participants check out the 2015 Taste of Kentwood event.
Participants check out the 2015 Taste of Kentwood event.

Every wonder what a Smash Burger tastes like? How about a sub from Boardwalk Subs? Or just curious about what food items Celebration! Cinema has to offer?

 

Thursday, March 3, area residents will have the opportunity to find out as the Kentwood Park and Recreation Department hosts its 15th Annual Taste of Kentwood at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.

 

“It is a nice opportunity to sample several different offerings from various local places,” said Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation.

 

This year, about 13 restaurants from the Kentwood area will participate. Each restaurant brings in samples of some of its well-known food items. Participants sign up for one of the two sessions, 4:30 – 6 p.m. or 6:30 – 8 p.m., and during the session go from table-to-table trying the various foods.

 

“There will be a nice variety from soup, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, curry dishes and Mexican food,” Barbrick said. There are about 13 restaurants participating in this year’s event. Those restaurants include Peppino’s Grille and Pizzeria, Zoup!, Bloop Frozen Yogurt, Rak Thai, Pizza Ranch, Smash Burger, Jet’s Pizza, Potbelly, On the Border, Boardwalk Subs, Dave & Buster’s and Celebration! Cinema.

 

The annual event, which is marking its 15th year this year, is quite popular, bringing in about 500 people to the 2015 event, according to Barbrick. On average, Taste of Kentwood raises about $3,000 – this includes money from a silent auction – which is used to provide scholarships to programs at the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation.

 

Tickets for the event are$5 in advance and $7 at the door. Children 5 & under are free. For more information or other City of Kentwood Park and Recreation programs, visit the department’s website.